Bataan march welcome challenge for wheelchair-bound 12-year-old

Chris Cain shares a moment with his daughter Kellisa on Tuesday. The two will be participating together in the Bataan Death March on Sunday. (Robin Zielinski/Sun-News)

LAS CRUCES - Twelve-year old Kellisa Kain may be wheelchair-bound because of cerebral palsy, but that does nothing at all to dampen her adventurous spirit.

Indeed, Kellisa is about to participate in the 26.2-mile Bataan Memorial Death March. She'll ride in a modified, three-wheeled carrier, while her dad, Chris Kain, pushes her along the arduous, sandy route. Her father calls it "push-hiking," a term he invented.

Chris Kain, who regularly treats his daughter to outdoor excursions, got special permission from race officials to take Kellisa along. Not only does his daughter like to see great scenery, she also enjoys a jostling ride, whether its turbulence during a plane trip, the shaking cabin of a moving train or her carrier as moves across a rocky trail.

Kellisa Cain, 12, of Jacksonville, Fla., sits with her dad Chris on Tuesday at the TownePlace Suites. Kellisa, who is wheelchair-bound because of cerebral palsy, will be participating in the Bataan Memorial Death March in a modified three-wheeled carrier, pushed by her father. (Robin Zielinski/Sun-News)

"The crazier, the more she likes it," he said.

Though she's able to understand when people speak to her, Kellisa has trouble answering because of her disability. She usually answers "yes" or "no" questions in sign language.

Asked if she was eager to be in today's march, Kellisa signaled an enthusiastic "yes."

Hiking with a mission

Kain and Kellisa arrived in Las Cruces on Tuesday from their hometown of Jacksonville, Fla. Outdoors was always a hobby of Kain's. But the earliest years of Kellisa's life - she was born premature at 25 weeks in 1999 - were spent undergoing numerous surgeries and visiting doctors, Kain said. (She's had 22 so far.)

But after a few years, Kellisa's health stabilized. Around age 5, Kain and Kellisa began taking small-scale excursions, like walks around the neighborhood, Kain said. Two years later, they'd advanced to hiking trails.

So far, Kellisa and her father have visited 37 states and 15 national parks, according to Kain.

Kain said his daughter enjoys taking in the natural sights. And the activity helps reduce pent-up frustration she experiences because of her condition. Often, able-bodied people don't think people with disabilities would enjoy hiking, Kain said. But that's not the case. He wants to encourage other parents with physically disabled children to consider taking up the hobby.

"We do a lot of trails and kayaking and stuff, and we never see any other disabled kids," he said.

The march

Kain has walked, sans Kellisa, in the Bataan Memorial Death March for the past three years. The first year, he said, left thinking it wouldn't ever be possible to take Kellisa on the difficult route. But he said he gained more confidence about his abilities after finishing the last two marches.
Though many Bataan Memorial Death March participants will be competing for the fastest race times today, Chris Kain said speed isn't on his radar.
"My No. 1 goal, besides safety, is to finish," he said. "I'm hoping to do it just under 10 hours."

In addition to the normal rigors of a marathon-length march, Chris Kain will have other, more unique challenges along the way. He said he must stop between two and four times to give Kellisa fluids through a feeding tube she needs because of her medical condition. Plus, he'll have to change her clothes because of the big temperature change - possibly from the 40s to the 80s - that will happen as the race progresses.

The Kains planned to camp out with other marchers at White Sands Missile Range last night to be ready for Sunday's event.

In addition to inspiring other parents, Chris Kain said he's hoping his daughters story will inspire friends and family of war veterans, many of whom are missing limbs, to begin "push-hiking."

"Maybe if they see us doing it, they can see they could be pushed," he said.

The first wave of marchers begins at 7 a.m. today.

Diana Alba Soular can be reached at (575) 541-5443; follow her on Twitter @AlbaSoular

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